AXD MODERN PHYSICS. 45 



20th of February ho writes: " However, wisdom is of 

 many kinds, and I do not know which dwells with 

 wise counsellors most, whether scientific, practical, 

 jx)litical, or ecclesiastical. I hear there are candidates 

 of all kinds relying on the predominance of one or 

 other of these kinds of wisdom in the constitution ot 

 the Government." 



The second part of the paper on " Faraday's Lines 

 of Force " was read during the term. Writing on tho 

 4th of March, he expresses the hope soon to be able 

 to write out fully the paper. " I have done nothing 

 in that way this term," he says, " but am just begin- 

 ning to feel the electrical state come on again." 



His father was working at Edinburgh in support 

 of his candidature for Aberdeen, and when, in tho 

 middle of March, he returned North, he found every- 

 thing well prepared. The two returned to Glenlair 

 together after a few days in Edinburgh, and Maxwell 

 was preparing to go back to Cambridge, when, on tho 

 2nd of April, his father died suddenly. 



Writing to Mrs. Blackburn, he says: " My father 

 died suddenly to-day at twelve o'clock. He had been 

 giving directions about tho garden, and he said ho 

 would sit down and rest a little, as usual. After a 

 few minutes I asked him to lie down on the sofa, and 

 he did not seem inclined to do so ; and then I got 

 him somo ether, which had helped him before. 

 Before he could take any ho had a slight struggle, 

 and all was over. He hardly breathed afterwards." 



Almost immediately after this, Maxwell was 

 appointed to Aberdeen. His father's death had 

 frustrated somo at least of the intentions with which 



